The Risk of Doing Nothing: Common-Sense Cybersecurity

Technology has brought us a world of convenience. You place an order and it is delivered to you the next day – all with a click of a button. Ten years ago, you would have been able to see it only in a sci-fi movie. Today it is a part of your routine. However, as we all know, there are always two sides of a coin. The flip side of this one is your cybersecurity.

To enjoy all the benefits of modern day technology you must expose your personal and financial information in the cyber space. That is the rule of the game today. Think about that ‘old school’ pickpocket thief, who is always there to snatch your wallet with your picture ID, credit cards and other valuables. The good thing is we know how to protect ourselves from them because the pick pocketers have been around for ages. We keep the wallet in the front pocket on a busy street, we don’t carry all our cash everywhere we go and don’t visit certain places if we know they are not safe, etc. Everyone knows these common-sense rules, but when it comes to cybersecurity, some older and more experienced people are more vulnerable to the thieves than children. Why?

The answer is pretty obvious – people from older generations did not grow up in the cyber age, they simply do not know the rules of the game. But protecting yourself from hackers is very similar to protecting yourself from a thief. Here are some basic rules of common-sense cybersecurity that will help you to feel safer, enjoying everything that the modern world has to offer.

Be vigilant – the bad guys are out there. Think about it as being on a busy street in a bad neighborhood. What can make you feel safe? The presence of the law enforcement personnel. In the cyberworld this enforcement is your antivirus and malware software like ESET, McFee or Norton Security and many others. This is your first line of protection against cybercrime. But, don’t think this is enough!

Be diligent – your password is your second line of defense. However, there is no password that cannot be broken by today’s superfast computers. In other words, it is not ‘if’, it is the matter of ‘how long’ it will take. Even though creating a strong password may sound like a rocket science today, it is not that complicated if you know the rules of the game. For the latest recommendations for password security check this article https://lifehacker.com/how-to-create-a-strong-password-1797681069

A password is not the last line defense anymore… The current standard in login security is two-factor authentication. Make sure you have it activated for every significant login you have. We will give you more updates on how to protect your financial information in our future posts.

About The Author

A graduate of University of North Florida with a B.A. in accounting, Dan received his designation of CPA in 1994. Dan provides CPA and income tax services to a number of health care professionals, contractors, retail companies, internet based companies, equipment distributors, and specialty companies who have multi-state operations. Dan also provides income tax and investment management for individuals who expect exemplary service.